Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong (China) and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong (China) and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,752 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $1,717 in Italy, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,270 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $2,624 in Italy, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,787 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $3,530 in Italy, rent included.

Hong Kong (China) costs about 60% more than Italy on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Hong Kong (China) and Italy are pricier than the global median – Hong Kong (China) by 105%, Italy by 28%.

Hong Kong (China) has a wider regional cost range ($2,752$2,752) than Italy ($1,170$2,508), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Hong Kong (China).

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hong Kong (China)
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.99 HK$70.4
$17.44 €15.00
-48.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.0 HK$494
$79.5 €68.4
-20.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.56 HK$51.4
$11.76 €10.11
-44.22%
Cappuccino
$4.98 HK$39.04
$2.00 €1.72
149.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 HK$10.15
$3.00 €2.58
-56.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 HK$8.55
$1.35 €1.16
-19.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.85 HK$53.7
$5.94 €5.11
15.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.54 HK$51.3
$5.36 €4.61
22.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong (China)
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.07 HK$24.02
$1.64 €1.41
87.20%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 HK$17.43
$2.41 €2.07
-7.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 HK$15.35
$2.99 €2.58
-34.45%
Eggs
$3.52 HK$27.56
$3.96 €3.41
-11.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$25.75 HK$202
$16.84 €14.49
52.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.51 HK$82.3
$12.43 €10.69
-15.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.77 HK$171
$20.29 €17.46
7.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 HK$28.35
$2.47 €2.13
46.56%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 HK$18.12
$2.15 €1.85
7.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.88 HK$30.38
$2.65 €2.28
46.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.08 HK$24.16
$3.40 €2.92
-9.41%
Potato (1kg)
$2.34 HK$18.31
$1.92 €1.65
21.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.22 HK$17.41
$1.81 €1.56
22.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.68 HK$13.15
$1.55 €1.33
8.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 HK$13.51
$0.54 €0.46
218.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.10 HK$103
$6.79 €5.84
92.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.91 HK$148
$7.18 €6.18
163.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 HK$14.36
$1.80 €1.55
1.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 HK$20.81
$2.42 €2.08
9.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Hong Kong (China)
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.68 HK$13.13
$2.00 €1.72
-16.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.5 HK$490
$42.35 €36.43
47.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.59 HK$28.16
$5.94 €5.11
-39.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 HK$10.27
$1.51 €1.30
-13.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.66 HK$115
$34.04 €29.28
-56.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$3.11 HK$24.35
$2.05 €1.76
51.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K HK$299.7K
$32.8K €28.2K
16.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K HK$257.5K
$33.7K €29.0K
-2.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong (China)
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$235 HK$1,839
$225 €194
4.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.94 HK$141
$13.25 €11.40
35.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.44 HK$176
$30.95 €26.62
-27.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong (China)
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.2 HK$597
$55.7 €47.95
36.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.51 HK$66.7
$25.15 €21.63
-66.16%
Cinema Ticket
$12.82 HK$100
$10.25 €8.82
25.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hong Kong (China)
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$986 HK$7,725
$576 €495
71.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.4K HK$167.5K
$10.5K €8,998
104.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong (China)
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.9 HK$571
$91.8 €79.0
-20.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.60 HK$310
$40.72 €35.03
-2.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.8 HK$711
$98.0 €84.3
-7.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 HK$1,123
$131 €112
9.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong (China)
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,224 HK$17.4K
$860 €740
158.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,571 HK$12.3K
$667 €573
135.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,893 HK$38.3K
$1,475 €1,269
231.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,105 HK$24.3K
$1,087 €935
185.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$27.4K HK$214.6K
$3,850 €3,312
611.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$17.0K HK$133.6K
$2,359 €2,029
622.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hong Kong (China)
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,187 HK$25.0K
$1,933 €1,663
64.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.97
4.41
-9.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Hong Kong (China): May 31, 2026

Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $2,235 in Hong Kong (China) vs $743 in Italy. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,235 in Hong Kong and $1,325 in Rome.

Average salary: $3,166 in Hong Kong (China) vs $1,949 in Italy. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 201% higher in Hong Kong (China).

Dining out costs 14% more in Italy.

Public transport is 45% more expensive in Hong Kong (China).

Salaries are 62% higher in Hong Kong (China).

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Hong Kong (China) vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Hong Kong (China) or Italy?
Italy is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 50% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Hong Kong (China) or Italy?
Housing costs more in Hong Kong (China), and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Hong Kong (China) consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Hong Kong (China) vs Italy?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Italy, contributing to the overall 50% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Hong Kong (China) and Italy on $2,500 per month?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Italy, but in Hong Kong (China) it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Hong Kong (China) or Italy?
Italy is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Hong Kong (China) vs other spots: cost of living compared

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